Here's some interesting shots of very early motion picture darkrooms

[Kino]

Hope this is not too off topic, but I find these very interesting and maybe you will too:

 

[roteague]

Those are quite cool images, thanks for sharing. I always love to look back into history.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Neat stuff! It's giving me ideas. I'd like to try processing Super-8, but the Lomo spiral and G-3 rewind tanks seem hard to come by. A rack and tank system like the ones in the first picture might be just the thing.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

I haven't posted for several months, but this thread has prompted me to. I'd also like to have a go at processing Super-8 film, but haven't been able to find much information online, or about developing tanks.

 

[Kino]

David and Tom,

Check this out: Dead Link Removed

See under "build your own".

Happy processing...

 

[Kino]

Neat stuff! It's giving me ideas. I'd like to try processing Super-8, but the Lomo spiral and G-3 rewind tanks seem hard to come by. A rack and tank system like the ones in the first picture might be just the thing.

OH, I have a G3 and, let me tell you, you don't want to process in a G3 unless you have the optional motor kit! Its fine for anyone in a War Zone, processing 16mm gun camera footage to get "quick" (less than the period between ice ages) recon info on dogfight kills or troop movements, but it leaves a HUGE amount to be desired for producing a high quality image.

The Lomo is much quicker, easier to use (with a little practice and a dummy roll), you won't get such terrible directional effects as the G3 and it is much easier to chemcially re-expose the image than use the window and expose it to a light source.

You can also build a traditional reel rack (like in the plans on the website above), a miniature vertical rack (get your dimensions by winding a 50' load across two dowel pins) but the big problem with those are quantity of chemistry needed for each tank and the invariable directional effects that occur over the horizontal rack supports. The turbulation over the ends of the rack is much greater than the middle of the rack so, if you are not real careful, you get the tell-tale pulsing of density that typifies silent film to so many; Some think it is the uneven cranking of the camera but it is NOT 95% of the time.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thanks for the links and suggestions. Upon further consideration, I'm thinking of something like the vertical racks but using them in 11x14" trays.